Hearing Loss and Digital Hearing Aids
Hearing tests, and the subsequent supply and sale of a private hearing aid in the UK is currently controlled by the Hearing Aid Council, and may only be undertaken by a Registered Hearing Aid Dispenser, (R.H.A.D). In our case this is Mr Harry Monroe, who has over three decades of experience in the profession. Assessments and fittings can be carried-out at our premises or in your home.
We supply and fit all types of analogue and digital hearing aids and earmoulds, from most major international manufacturers. As a long-established family business, we are proud to be independent of any manufacturer, so are not restricted in the models we can offer. You can be confident that you are getting an unbiased assessment. Also if you have a preference for a specific model or manufacturer we can advise the suitability.
We never have gone-in for slick advertising, gimmicks, two-for-one offers etc..! It is a truism that if an offer looks too good to be true, then it probably is! What we have been giving for nearly 25 years is attentive personal service, continuing care, free advice (including NHS patients), independent choice of aids, and with a range of prices to suit all pockets.
We are members of the British Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists, and they can be contacted at:- www.bshaa.com
We are registered with our governing body, the Hearing Aid Council, and more information about what they do is found at:- www.thehearingaidcouncil.org.uk
SOME OF THE COMPANIES IN OUR PORTFOLIO:-
Bernafon, Widex, GNDanavox, Oticon, Phonak, Puretone, Resound, Siemens, Sonic Innovations, Starkey, and Unitron, We only deal with international companies who have service facilities world-wide, because of the amount of foreign travel by clients, nowadays.
If you use digital or programmeable analogue aids, we can re-programme them if necessary, after a test. We also supply a speedy all-makes repair service (usually within three or four working days), as well as #10, #312, #13, #675 batteries, hygiene products, accessories, etc, all by mail, if you cannot visit us, so please feel free to call us for your needs.
For those who want peace of mind, we offer a Continuing Care Programme covering normal breakdown problems. This service is available whether or not the aid was purchased from us, and no matter the age of the aid....ask for a quote for your aid. You are also entitled to a discount on batteries and all the products in our catalogue.
Behind-the-ear aids, in-the-ear aids, in-the-canal aids, pocket aids, bone-conductor aids, spectacle aids, as well as computer-programmed ANALOGUE, and automatic DIGITAL aids are all available.
What's all this talk about digital ?
What is it anyway?
We are often asked the advantages of Digital hearing aids.....well, there are several, and if you want to know what they are.....READ ON!
FIRSTLY - Imagine we had to go back to the old vinyl discs for our music! Within that system, there was a lot of 'hiss' and 'crackle' which could spoil the inherent quality of the music. Also, every time you played a record, the quality would worsen. Tape and then Compact Discs (CDs) improved immensely the quality of what we heard. So it is with Digital aids. The method of processing incoming sound, and the quality of design and manufacture means that there is no inherent 'noise' generated in the hearing aid.
SECONDLY - The high-quality analysis of sound now possible in the computer 'chip' means that it can 'sort-out' speech from 'background noise' in the environment, much better than an old analogue aid, so the listening experience is much less tiring, because we are then able to understand conversations better. Directional microphones and 'Artificial Intelligence' microchips, are all available to improve the sound picture'. The 'telecoil' facility for use in loop systems can be fitted.
A large range of complexity is available to suit your hearing requirements, so please let us know as much as possible about your lifestyle, so that we can offer you what you really need.....at a price you can afford!
THIRDLY - After the hearing assessment and testing, we are able to set, or 'programme' a digital hearing aid very accurately to the loss, again much better than with an off-the-shelf analogue aid. However, your loss may change with time, and we can re-programme the aid to cope with the change and so maximise the potential life of the aid.
FOURTHLY - Digital aids can be programmed to follow the level of sounds, so that quiet speech can often be heard in louder noise without increasing the overall sound level with a volume control. So, many models are made with no volume control, as they are, in many cases, just not necessary. It is a matter of 'wear and forget'. However you can have a volume control fitted, if you still want to remain 'boss'.
FIFTHLY - Some models can record the types of situations in which you move around. This is called 'Data-Logging'. The information can be used to continually improve the settings for optimum listening.
DIGITAL HEARING AIDS OFFER MANY ADVANTAGE BUT NOT EVERY PERSON IS SUITABLE. ONLY AFTER A FULL ASSESSMENT CAN WE GUIDE YOU TO THE BEST AID IN YOUR INDIVIDUAL CASE.
BUT BE WARY ...........all is not always what it seems!! You may have heard of the phrase 'digitally-programmed' aids. These may well be analogue aids which can be programmed, but do not incorporate many of the features available from digital units.
SO IF YOU WANT DIGITAL SOUND,
MAKE SURE YOU ASK FOR DIGITAL SOUND!!
Some new aids recently released and available from us......
....March 2008....
Severe high-frequency loss is extremely debilitating as this is the area where many of the important elements of human speech are located. It is therefore very possible to be able to hear background sounds (generally low-frequency sounds) whilst missing-out on the relatively-soft high-frequency sounds. A very-few aids can help here, but at a recent conference in Manchester, I heard of a new aid from Phonak, based on work in Australia, which seems to be a valuable possibility in our armoury. I have still to be convinced of the viability in real-life situations, but the theory seems to be valid.
We will keep you posted on this aid as we get more experience of how well it works.
....March 2008....
We have been undertaking trials on the Phonak UNA, and have had great success. This is a moderately-priced aid with a good set of adjustments, to allow us to fit your loss as accurately as possible. Give us a call to discuss it.
.....DECEMBER 2007.....
.....'NITRO and NITRO 16.....
completely-in-the-canal aids, from Siemens
These are extremely small aids, which still allow an immense amount of technical power to be stored. They have programme buttons (unusual in such a small size) allowing you to choose different ways of hearing, dependent on the environment. It is theoretically possible to fit up to 100 dB hearing loss, although some ear characteristics may prohibit this.
INDIGO' and 'ELEMENT' from UNITRON
The wonderful main feature of INDIGO is the detail involved in fitting but the simplicity in use.
The main plank of the software (what makes it all work) is Auto-Pro 4. The aid selects, from four different environments, which one most closely resembles the one where the wearer is at any one time. This will automatically change as the environment changes.
It then uses the directional microphones which come as standard, to listen-out for up to SIXTEEN simultaneous loud sounds which might cause problems for the listener, analyses them and brings them down to a level which will not interfere with speech, where it is present. There is extremely-efficient feed-back control (to stop annoying whistles). For the avid outdoor enthusiast, there is an automatic wind-noise reduction manager. As if this is not enough then there are another three additional manual programmes if required!
It has a low-battery indicator, start-up delay (if needed), data-logging (to help us monitor the different environments and make changes as necessary), 'easy-phone' (to help with a normal phone), and an optional telecoil, for use with loop systems. One very good feature is that it is possible to do audiometry testing through the hearing aid, so that we can get an exact fitting!
All normal sizes of models are available from completely-in-the-canal, to a power-behind-the-ear unit.
ALL IN ALL A VERY GOOD UNIT....AS OUR EXPERIENCE HAS ALREADY PROVED!!
A client, recently fitted, came in to say that they were 'bxxxxxy wonderful' !!
Stop Press!...... A new, simpler, version of the above (ELEMENT) was launched in October 2006, and is now well-established in our portfolio. It comes as three versions to match your audiological requirements and your budget.We have already quite a number of these, and have had instant success from experienced aid wearers.
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'DESTINY' from STARKEY
Available in FIVE levels of sophistication, from those with the most demanding need to the simplest version, which still retains the salient features needed by most people. This permits a highly sophisticated solution to a large range of people, and at an affordable price.
It can adapt instantly via Acoustic Signature (on top models) to different acoustic environments, (including wind noise); has good fine-tuning facilities; feedback elimination is claimed to be the best in the industry; it will automatically and instantly adjust for best telephone communication; it has unique tones for memory, low-battery, and volume-- and they automatically adjust for use in very noisy conditions; the Directional Speech Detector claims to be the best in the industry.; and Data-Logging allows us to look at the usage of the aid since the last appointment.
The principles of nanoscience are used in the circuitry to allow an immense amount of computing and control to be carried out in a small space, and at great speed.
The latest model even will give you verbal warning of follow-up appointments, and tells you when the battery is running out.....what will they think of next?
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INTEO from WIDEX
We are very proud to have been appointed as
'APPROVED WIDEX INTEO'
DISPENSING CENTRE
From the Danish manufacturer of the famous Senso, now comes INTEO, which we consider to be not only top of the Widex range but also it must be in contention for the most sophisticated model in the world today....and quality inevitably costs.....
The 'Dynamic Integrator' is at the heart of the microchip, and assembles the preferences required by you, to tailor all aspects of the integrated signal processing in the hearing-aid.
For many aids, the improvement in locating speech using directional microphones has meant that voices from behind have often been cancelled by the hearing aids. However, INTEO will still pick up speech from behind !
With an extended high-frequency range (called Audibility Extender) you will be able to hear noises you might not have heard for decades! Some examples might be cymbals, rustling leaves, and bird song. Sounds will be crisper and provide more details for your enjoyment. This is done by 'transposing' some sounds from far outwith your audible range, into an area where you can hear.
Speech understanding in noise can be a problem. However the patented SPEECH ENHANCER technology of INTEO leads to a higher level of understanding than previously.
Last but not least---- the very-effective feedback control now possible, allows for smaller hearing aids before the limitations of feedback prevent a more cosmetically-pleasing solution.
An optional remote control allows even more flexibility in use by the customer.
Our conclusion is that if this is as successful as Senso was in 'doing what it says on the tin', then they have hit on the right formula once again!!
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PHONAK
microPOWER
This miniature behind-the ear aid packs a mighty punch! It has been made small by incorporating the receiver (the loud-speaker) into a custom-made mould, which goes right into the canal of the ear. This means that the power can be applied where it is needed, close to the eardrum. The sound does not have to travel through the tubing of conventional behind-the-ear aids, so is less disturbed by resonances in the tubing. Come and have a chat to see whether you can benefit from this new technology.
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TESTIMONIALS:-
"I would like to thank you very much for for the care and attention you paid to my dad and me in getting us fitted with suitable hearing aids...I hope to see you again some time....say 'Hello' to the ladies in the office from me"...J.S, Edinburgh
"Thanks for bringing my Dad back to Mum and me; It has made a great difference to us all" ....Mrs M.M. Inverness-shire
"Thank you for work well done and returning my hearing aid safely"...Sr K.M, Residential Care Home.
For an appointment, information, or just a chat:
Northern Acoustics
117 Townhead
Kirkintilloch
G66 1NX
Phone/Fax: 0141 776 2556
E-Mail to:
or
sales@northern-acoustics.co.uk
Textphone users call: 0141 775 2365